Every multi-story home requires a staircase to traverse from one level to the next, but most staircases take up a lot of space. This is a serious problem in areas that are already cramped, but Dutch design studio Mieke Meijer found a novel way to make the most of a staircase by combining it with a number of other important elements -namely: a desk, a shelving unit and a storage cupboard.

The upper half of the minimalist staircase is made up by a series of open frame boxes suspended to the ceiling. The lower half is made of two different pieces of furniture, both a desk and a cupboard designed so people can step down on either piece while simultaneously using the backside for their alternative intended purpose.

Surprisingly, when viewed from the top floor, the design looks like a regular staircase. It's only when viewed from the ground level that you can see the brilliance of the design. In fact, you can hardly even see the black iron contrasting with the neutral wood tones while standing above the creation.

The piece was commissioned for designer Just Haasnoot, but it's so visually striking and so useful we can only hope to start seeing these types of staircases more often.